Emberwind iPhone game a vibrant, challenging platform adventure

Emberwind is not a platform game you can pick up when waiting a few minutes for a friend. It is not filled with wildly short, yet enjoyable, levels like a League of Evil or Meganoid. It’s the sort of platformer that sucks you in with not only impressive visuals, but also addictive gameplay, so that […]

Emberwind is not a platform game you can pick up when waiting a few minutes for a friend. It is not filled with wildly short, yet enjoyable, levels like a League of Evil or Meganoid. It’s the sort of platformer that sucks you in with not only impressive visuals, but also addictive gameplay, so that when your friend finally arrives he wants to knock your iPhone out of your hands because you won’t pay attention to him.

In short, this is a very fun platform game.

Emberwind uses a sort of Medieval fantasy story to inform its level design, so you get some cool castle-type places and lush forests to traipse around in. That might not sound like much, but the environments have that two-and-a-half-D feel, where the level feels like it extends out of your screen slightly, and everything in front of you just looks crisp and clean.

As good as the visuals are, the graduated learning curve of the game might be its most rewarding aspect. Like most games, you’ll learn the controls as you go, but unlike other iPhone platformers, there are more moves at your disposal than simple run and jump commands. Early on, you’ll learn a sort of barrel roll that isn’t easy to execute, but can pay dividends when the screen is stacked with enemies.

Emberwind kind of feels like a platform game advanced from the simple stylings of other iPhone game offerings. Not that there’s anything wrong with those, but this is a game that’s building upon their foundations rather than recreating what they already offer, and it’s a lot of fun to play.

If you grew up on platform games or even want to jump into the genre for the first time, Emberwind will guide you along at a smooth pace and is one of the better-looking platformers I’ve played. Check it out.

Dan Kricke has been playing with electronics and writing about them for years. He loved his Sega Dreamcast and now the PlayStation 3. On the iPhone, he's a fan of sports apps and anything that offers new music.